CGX: Iron Program Day 31: Drop Set Leg Day

This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. This workout kicked my butt. I did challenge myself to lift heavier on both squats and lunges but I was definitely struggling. Then it occurred to me–I donated blood on Saturday. I feel kind of silly now. It can take a week or longer for endurance to be back to pre-donation levels. It actually made me feel better because even getting my dumbbells to my shoulders this morning felt harder than it should it have. And I am still feeling yesterdays workout. The entire first third of this workout is elevated squats and when the dumbbells were at my shoulders (and even holding the single dumbbell in front of my chest) I felt it through my entire lats. Anyway! Obviously this was a tough workout. Maybe it would have been less tough if had not recently given blood but still tough. Caroline uses several techniques to make this workout more challenging. First the drop set technique in the title. You start with straight sets, then you do a super set in which the first exercises uses 2 dumbbells and the second exercise uses one dumbbell then you do a triset in which the third exercise is body weight. Plus, for every single exercise in this workout some part of your foot is elevated–the toe, the heel or one entire foot. I was really surprised that by the time we got to the elevated lunge triset my calves were burning out! My entire lower body was well worked this morning!

This workout is done interval style. The interval and recovery times vary so they are noted below in the breakdown. There is a timer in the upper right hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Caroline previews the next exercise. There is also a progress bar at the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.

Drop Set Leg Day is 37:40 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9 minute warm up or the 3:04 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, heel wedges, yoga block and a fitness mat. Caroline is using 15kg/33 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. High squats for 45 seconds (heels are elevated on wedges, DBs are held at shoulders) (35# DBs)
2. 30 sec0nd rest
3. Repeat #1 & 2
4. Repeat #1 (just like previously, you are still using 2 DBs)
5. (no rest) Repeat #4 but holding one DB in both hands at chest) (one 35# DB)
6. 30 second rest
7. Repeat #4-6
8. Repeat #4 & 5
9. (no rest) Heel elevated body weight squats for 45 seconds
10. 30 second rest
11. Repeat #8-10
12. RDLs for 45 seconds (Romanian deadlifts w/ toes elevated on wedges) (hex trap bar @ 105#)
13. 30 second rest
14. Repeat #12 & 13
15. Static lunge for 45 seconds (stationary lunge, front foot is elevated on yoga block) (30# DBs)
16. 30 second rest
17. Repeat #15 & 16 on other leg
18. Repeat #15 (just like previously, you are still using 2 DBs)
19. (no rest) Repeat #15 but w/ only one DB (one 30# DB)
20. 30 second rest
21. Repeat #18-20 on other leg
22. Repeat #18 & 19 (25# DBs)
23. (no rest) Repeat #15 but bodyweight only (front foot is still on yoga block)
24. 30 second rest
25. Repeat #22-24 on other leg
26. Staggered RDL for 60 seconds (single leg deadlift, hold one DB in same side hand as working leg, toe is elevated on wedge) (one 35# DB)
27. 15 second rest
28. Repeat #26 & 27 on other leg
29. Repeat #26-28

Finisher: (2:45 minutes; no rest/recoveries between exercises)

1. Body weight lunge for 15 seconds (front foot is elevated on yoga block)
2. Hold isometrically at bottom of lunge for 15 seconds
3. Repeat #1
4. Repeat #1-3 on other leg
5. Body weight squat with heels elevated on wedges for 30 seconds
6. Hold isometrically at bottom of squat for 15 seconds
7. Repeat #5